The second book in the epic saga of humankinds war of transcendence In the evolution of every sentient race there is a turning point when the species achieves transcendence through technology. The warlike Shdaar are determined that this monumental milestone will never be achieved by the creatures known as human. On the far side of known human space the Marines are under siege battling the relentless servant races of the Shdaar aggressor. With a task force stripped to the bone & the Terran Confederation of States racked by dissent rogue Admiral Alexander Koenig must make the momentous decision that will seal his fate & the fate of humankind. A strong defensive posture is futile so Koenig will seize the initiative & turn the gargantuan Star Carrier America toward the unknown. For the element of surprise is the only hope of stalling the Shdaar assault on Earths solar system-and the war for humankinds survival must be taken directly to the enemy. ...

The story of Joan Bakewells life & times spans the Blitz in Manchester Cambridge during the glittering era of Michael Frayn Peter Hall Jonathan Miller et al London at its most exciting in the swinging sixties & the world of the media & the arts from the 60s to the present. As she reflects on the choices she has made & the influences that shaped her she confronts painful childhood memories of her mothers behaviour & describes both her affair with Harold Pinter & her two marriages with remarkable honesty. Throughout she uses her own experience to explore the extraordinary change in womens roles during her lifetime. This is no ordinary celebrity autobiography but a memoir that is beautifully written frank & absorbing which draws a thought-provoking portrait of Britain in the last 70 years. ...

The eighth novel in Simon Scarrow's bestselling Roman series. In the first century AD the Roman Empire faces a new threat from its long-standing enemy Parthia. Parthia is vying with Rome for control of Palmyra an officially neutral kingdom. Palmyra's royal household is on the brink of open revolt & so a task force under the command of experienced soldiers Macro & Cato is dispatched to defend its king & guard its borders. When Parthia hears of the Roman army's presence it starts amassing its troops for war. Macro's cohort must march against the enemy deep into treacherous territory. If Palmyra is not to fall into the clutches of Parthia they will have to defeat superior numbers in a desperate siege. The quest for a lasting peace has never been more challenging nor more critical for the future of the Empire. ...

Few tank designs have been as effective versatile & long-lived as that of the British Centurion. Conceived during the Second World War as the answer to the superior German Tiger & Panther tanks & to the lethal 88mm gun this 52-ton main battle tank incorporated the lessons British designers had learned about armoured fighting vehicles during the conflict & it was free of the major faults that had impaired the other British tank designs of the time. The Centurion was so successful that it served in the British Army & in numerous other armies across the world from 1945 until the 1990s. Pat Ware's highly illustrated history of this remarkable tank covers its design & development its technical specifications & the many variants that were produced. He tells the story from the design brief of 1943 through testing & trials to the tank's entry into service. & he traces the course of the Centurion's subsequent career as it was up-dated up-gunned & adapted to operate in varied conditions & conflicts all over the world including Korea the Indo-Pakistan wars Vietnam & the Arab-Israeli wars. His expert account of this remarkable fighting vehicle is accompanied by a series of colour plates showing the main variants of the design & the common ancillary equipment & unit markings. His book is an essential work of reference for enthusiasts. ...

This fascinating selection of photographs illustrates the extraordinary transformation that has taken place in Barnsley during the 20th century. The book offers an insight into the daily lives & living conditions of local people & gives the reader glimpses & details of familiar places during a century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of Barnsleys recent history are covered famous occasions & individuals are remembered & the impact of national & international events is witnessed. The book provides a striking account of the changes that have so altered Barnsleys appearance & records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community & illustrated with a wealth of black-&-white photographs this book recalls what Barnsley has lost in terms of buildings traditions & ways of life. It also acknowledges the regeneration that has taken place & celebrates the character & energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century. ...

This fascinating selection of photographs illustrates the extraordinary transformation that has taken place in Huddersfield during the 20th century. The book offers an insight into the daily lives & living conditions of local people & gives the reader glimpses & details of familiar places during a century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of Huddersfields recent history are covered famous occasions & individuals are remembered & the impact of national & international events is witnessed. The book provides a striking account of the changes that have so altered Huddersfields appearance & records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community & illustrated with a wealth of black-&-white photographs this book recalls what Huddersfield has lost in terms of buildings traditions & ways of life. It also acknowledges the regeneration that has taken place & celebrates the character & energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century. ...

This fascinating selection of photographs illustrates the extraordinary transformation that has taken place in Ilford during the twentieth century. The book offers an insight into the daily lives & living conditions of local people & gives the reader glimpses & details of familiar places during a century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of Ilfords recent history are covered famous occasions & individuals are remembered & the impact of national & international events is witnessed. The book provides a striking account of the changes that have also altered Ilfords appearance & records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community & illustrated with a wealth of black-&-white photographs this book recalls what Ilford has lost in terms of buildings traditions & ways of life. It also acknowledges & celebrates the character & energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century. ...

This fascinating selection of photographs illustrates the extraordinary transformation that has taken place in Kingston upon Thames during the 20th century. The book offers an insight into the daily lives & living conditions of local people & gives the reader glimpses & details of familiar places during this century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of Kingstons recent history are covered famous occasions & individuals are remembered & the impact of national & international events is witnessed. The book provides a striking account of the changes that have so altered Kingstons appearance & records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community & illustrated with a wealth of black-&-white photographs this book recalls what Kingston upon Thames has lost in terms of buildings traditions & ways of life. It also acknowledges the regeneration that has taken place & celebrates the character & energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century. ...

This fascinating selection of photographs illustrates the extraordinary transformation that has taken place in the Black Country during the 20th century. The book offers an insight into the daily lives & living conditions of local people & gives the reader glimpses & details of familiar places during this century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of the Black Countrys recent history are covered famous occasions & individuals are remembered & the impact of national & international events is witnessed. The book provides a striking account of the changes that have so altered the Black Countrys appearance & records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community & illustrated with a wealth of black-&-white photographs this book recalls what the Black Country has lost in terms of buildings traditions & ways of life. It also acknowledges the regeneration that has taken place & celebrates the character & energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century. ...

At 108 years old the pianist Alice Herz-Sommer is an eyewitness to history. She has seen it all surviving the Theresienstadt concentration camp attending Eichmanns trial in Jerusalem & along the way coming into contact with some of the most fascinating historical figures of our time. As a child in Prague she spent weekends & holidays in the company of Franz Kafka & Gustav Mahler & Sigmund Freud & Rainer Maria Filke were friendly with her mother. When Alice moved to Israel after the war Golda Meir attended her house concerts as did Arthur Rubinstein Leonard Bernstein & Isaac Stern. Despite her years of imprisonment the murders of her mother husband & friends by the Nazis & much later the premature death of her son Alice has been victorious in her ability to live a life without bitterness. A CENTURY OF WISDOM is lessons from a remarkable & inspiring woman & evidence of her lifelong determination
- in the face of some of the worst evils known to man
- to find goodness in life.

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